Operation “Safe Navigation” was carried out jointly with the Civil and Military Police
During the Guarantee of Law and Order (GLO) mission – Operation “Lais de Guia”, in the city of Santos (SP), the Brazilian Navy (MB) Task Force took part in Operation “Safe Navigation”, in Guarujá (SP). Launched by the Civil and Military Police of the State of São Paulo, the police action was carried out on November 29, in the vicinity of a community. Two pistols, a rifle, cocaine pills, cocaine paste and marijuana were located and seized, amounting to a total loss of around R$200,000 to criminal organizations.
In conjunction with public security agencies, the Navy carried out maritime patrols and surveillance in the Port of Santos channel with boats, the Mangangá armored speedboat and a troop of Marines on board, providing maritime support to the police.
According to Civil Police Deputy Fabiano Barbeiro, cooperation with the MB was essential to the success of the actions. “Since November 6, we’ve been carrying out a number of operations and, occasionally, we’ve had the indispensable support of the Brazilian Navy. Operations that wouldn’t have had the same result if we hadn’t been able to work together. We are very grateful for this trust and this partnership,” he explained.
The Commander of the Maritime Task Unit, Frigate Captain Carlos Eduardo Pereira de Sousa, stressed the importance of operations like this in contributing to the GLO’s efforts to strangle criminal organizations financially. “Police operations on the banks of the Port of Santos channel favor the results of the GLO of the Sea, since they are added to the capabilities in the fight against illicit activities in the region, with the effort in the maritime and port area by the Brazilian Navy and in the vicinity of the Port by the Civil and Military Police of the State of São Paulo,” he said.
Since the beginning of November, with the GLO decree, patrols and inspections have been reinforced at the accesses to the Port of Santos. More than 500 military personnel are carrying out searches of personnel and vehicles and cracking down on crimes to combat drug and arms trafficking, as well as other crimes.
About the Mangangá armored speedboat
The South-Southeast Naval Patrol Group uses the Mangangá armored speedboat in its GLO at sea. Powered by a 570-horsepower engine, the boat reaches a speed of 33 knots (61 km/h), ideal for approaching smaller, faster vessels. Its armor is designed to withstand the impact of gunfire, with calibers up to 7.62mm, allowing the protection of the troops on board and also making it possible to counter threats with a MAG machine gun. The vessel has on-board technology, a thermal imaging camera and radar, enabling it to operate day and night in the channel and bay of the Port of Santos.
The role of the Armed Forces
The Armed Forces have been involved in GLO operations since the 1990s. The first took place in June 1992, in Rio de Janeiro, during the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, ECO-92, with the aim of contributing to public security.
This type of operation was also used at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio + 20), in 2012; at the Confederations Cup and Pope Francis’ visit to Aparecida (SP), in 2013; at the World Cup, in 2014; and at the Olympic Games, in 2016. In Rio de Janeiro, the last operation was carried out between 2017 and 2018, in conjunction with the Federal Intervention.
*With the collaboration of Lieutenant (Brazilian Marines) Kohn